The cool air reminds us of football! Remember the old story about the man who played end, guard and tackle? He sat on the end of the bench, guarded the waterbucket and tackled anyone who came near it. In my one year of organized football, I played guard and safety. It was an unusual combination of positions. Usually, guards are large and quick. Safetys are smart and mean. In hindsight, I’m not sure my coach knew what to do with a ninety pound eighth grader. I was small but I was slow! This made it hard for me to guard the quarterback on offense or get the quarterback on defense.
Paul had extreme confidence in God’s ability to guard him. I remember my mom singing in church, “For I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I’ve committed unto him against that day.” At some point I joined in the song. I knew the God in whom I had put my trust. God is able to guard all that we have entrusted to him.
While God guards us we guard the gospel. Paul also invited Timothy to guard the good deposit God had given to him. God has entrusted us with his good news, the sound teaching of the gospel. With the Holy Spirit’s help, we guard what God has given to us. As my dad used to say as we worked on cars, “Hold what you got.” We hold on to the God who is holding on to us. We are saved and we are safe in Christ.
